4 Big Ideas
1. We should understand that ideas of the Enlightenment project greatly influenced the Revolution in France. One of the biggest proponents of revolutionary feelings in France came from the American Revolution that took to heart the ideals of Enlightenment philosophes such as Rousseau, who wrote in favor of the "general will." Rousseau, along with other philosophers of his time, also criticized autocratic governments. The combination of these two enlightenment ideals spoke to members of the Third Estate in France and thus, the ideas were used as largely in the revolutionary movement.
2. We should understand that the French Revolution was essentially a Revolution from the bottom up. Due to an economic collapse, the masses in France suffered a great deal in terms of shortages and poverty. In addition, the pre-existing social hierarchy in France greatly lent to the cause of rebellion. As seen below in a political cartoon, Third Estaters, especially members of the bourgoisie, found themselves to be more and more similar to nobles of the Second Estate. These diminishing differences made them question the differences they recieved in social status, and thus political and economic leverage. Almost all members of the Third Estate, merchants, bankers, and even unskilled workers, all demanded changes so that they were able to recieve the most benefits (specific to each people group).
3. We should understand that from the First Phase of the Revolution, an Estates-General (later morphed into the National Assembly) emerged. France became a constitutional monarchy, but soon went on to become a republic. These new political ways lead to the counterrevolutionary movement which was a part of the Radical Revolution Phase. The government was in the hands of a few radicals (under the leadership of Robespierre), while aristocrats and peasants fueled the anti-revolution. The Reign of Terror was a deadly time in which more than 20,000 people were guillotined.
4. While Napoleon Emperor of France rose to power quickly, he did attempt to make domestic policies based upon the original Enlightened ideals that informed the Revolution. These reforms included reestablishing the Catholic Church, making a Civil Code (law system), and rationalizing the bureaucratic structure. Some of these reforms, such as the Civil Code or Code Napoleon, pushed for ideals such as equality, Napoelon took other actions that shut down Enlightenment thoughts, such as the closure of 70 newspapers. Napoleon tried to accomodate the spirit of the Revolution but was not able to do so in totality.
Essential Questions
1. How did the Enlightenment and its impact across the globe influence the influx of revolutionary ideas in France?
2. What role did the Third Estate play in fueling the start of the Revolution?
3. What were the political outcomes from the First Phase of the Revolution and how did these lead to the Second, Radical Phase?
4. How did Napoleon's reign reflect the original themes undergirding the French Revolution?
Primary Sources Written (Source: www.historyteacher.net) The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
"The representatives of the French people, organized as a National Assembly, believing that the ignorance, neglect, or contempt of the rights of man are the sole cause of public calamities and of the corruption of governments, have determined to set forth in a solemn declaration the natural, unalienable, and sacred rights of man, in order that this declaration, being constantly before all the members of the Social body, shall remind them continually of their rights and duties; in order that the acts of the legislative power, as well as those of the executive power, may be compared at any moment with the objects and purposes of all political institutions and may thus be more respected, and, lastly, in order that the grievances of the citizens, based hereafter upon simple and incontestable principles, shall tend to the maintenance of the constitution and redound to the happiness of all."
The Third Estate had not been given the privlege of meeting with the other higher estates, and thus, the Third Estate congregated and signed the Tennis Court Oath. They agreed to create a constitution for the common people of France, and soon released said document: The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen. The document set forth general rights for all men in France yet also acknowledged (in the above passage) the corruption of government at the time. They speak of being members of one social body and should all recieve the same rights. However, this document was written by members of the upper Third Estate (bourgoisies such as lawyers and other highly educated men) so it did not reflect the grievances of a peasant, for example.
Visual (Source: http://www.historywiz.org)
In the context of the beginnin of the Revoulution, the Third Estate felt the need to trump the Nobles of the higher estates as the differences between the bourgeoisie ( in the Third Estate) and said nobles (in the Second Estate)declined. They became seemingly more alike with regards to economic and social ways of life, yet Third Estaters did not receive any benefits similar that the nobility did. The cartoon depicts the triumphant Third Estate as a peasant (symbolic of all commoners) rides upon the back of members of the First and Second Estate. He essentially represents the fact that all members (peasants, workers, merchants, bourgeoisie, etc.) no longer supported the upper estates and were rather taking the reigns in the Revolution.
Map
(Source: www.historyteacher.net)
The map below shows how the Revolution did not occur at the same time all over the French nation. Different phases of the Revolution affected the country at different times and in different areas. Some areas did not succumb to the rebellion, but by 1790 almost all areas had experienced some aspect of war. Arrows on the map signal the spread of the Great Fear in 1789 while other arrows also signal attacks by foreign powers that added additional stress to the French Revolution.
10 Key Terms Ancien Regime Estates-General National Assembly Bastille
Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen National Convention The Reign of Terror
The Directory
Thermidorean Reaction
Code Napoleon
4 Big Ideas
1. We should understand that ideas of the Enlightenment project greatly influenced the Revolution in France. One of the biggest proponents of revolutionary feelings in France came from the American Revolution that took to heart the ideals of Enlightenment philosophes such as Rousseau, who wrote in favor of the "general will." Rousseau, along with other philosophers of his time, also criticized autocratic governments. The combination of these two enlightenment ideals spoke to members of the Third Estate in France and thus, the ideas were used as largely in the revolutionary movement.
2. We should understand that the French Revolution was essentially a Revolution from the bottom up. Due to an economic collapse, the masses in France suffered a great deal in terms of shortages and poverty. In addition, the pre-existing social hierarchy in France greatly lent to the cause of rebellion. As seen below in a political cartoon, Third Estaters, especially members of the bourgoisie, found themselves to be more and more similar to nobles of the Second Estate. These diminishing differences made them question the differences they recieved in social status, and thus political and economic leverage. Almost all members of the Third Estate, merchants, bankers, and even unskilled workers, all demanded changes so that they were able to recieve the most benefits (specific to each people group).
3. We should understand that from the First Phase of the Revolution, an Estates-General (later morphed into the National Assembly) emerged. France became a constitutional monarchy, but soon went on to become a republic. These new political ways lead to the counterrevolutionary movement which was a part of the Radical Revolution Phase. The government was in the hands of a few radicals (under the leadership of Robespierre), while aristocrats and peasants fueled the anti-revolution. The Reign of Terror was a deadly time in which more than 20,000 people were guillotined.
4. While Napoleon Emperor of France rose to power quickly, he did attempt to make domestic policies based upon the original Enlightened ideals that informed the Revolution. These reforms included reestablishing the Catholic Church, making a Civil Code (law system), and rationalizing the bureaucratic structure. Some of these reforms, such as the Civil Code or Code Napoleon, pushed for ideals such as equality, Napoelon took other actions that shut down Enlightenment thoughts, such as the closure of 70 newspapers. Napoleon tried to accomodate the spirit of the Revolution but was not able to do so in totality.
Essential Questions
1. How did the Enlightenment and its impact across the globe influence the influx of revolutionary ideas in France?
2. What role did the Third Estate play in fueling the start of the Revolution?
3. What were the political outcomes from the First Phase of the Revolution and how did these lead to the Second, Radical Phase?
4. How did Napoleon's reign reflect the original themes undergirding the French Revolution?
Primary Sources
Written (Source: www.historyteacher.net)
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
"The representatives of the French people, organized as a National Assembly, believing that the ignorance, neglect, or contempt of the rights of man are the sole cause of public calamities and of the corruption of governments, have determined to set forth in a solemn declaration the natural, unalienable, and sacred rights of man, in order that this declaration, being constantly before all the members of the Social body, shall remind them continually of their rights and duties; in order that the acts of the legislative power, as well as those of the executive power, may be compared at any moment with the objects and purposes of all political institutions and may thus be more respected, and, lastly, in order that the grievances of the citizens, based hereafter upon simple and incontestable principles, shall tend to the maintenance of the constitution and redound to the happiness of all."
The Third Estate had not been given the privlege of meeting with the other higher estates, and thus, the Third Estate congregated and signed the Tennis Court Oath. They agreed to create a constitution for the common people of France, and soon released said document: The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen. The document set forth general rights for all men in France yet also acknowledged (in the above passage) the corruption of government at the time. They speak of being members of one social body and should all recieve the same rights. However, this document was written by members of the upper Third Estate (bourgoisies such as lawyers and other highly educated men) so it did not reflect the grievances of a peasant, for example.
Visual (Source: http://www.historywiz.org)
In the context of the beginnin of the Revoulution, the Third Estate felt the need to trump the Nobles of the higher estates as the differences between the bourgeoisie ( in the Third Estate) and said nobles (in the Second Estate)declined. They became seemingly more alike with regards to economic and social ways of life, yet Third Estaters did not receive any benefits similar that the nobility did. The cartoon depicts the triumphant Third Estate as a peasant (symbolic of all commoners) rides upon the back of members of the First and Second Estate. He essentially represents the fact that all members (peasants, workers, merchants, bourgeoisie, etc.) no longer supported the upper estates and were rather taking the reigns in the Revolution.
Map
(Source: www.historyteacher.net)
The map below shows how the Revolution did not occur at the same time all over the French nation. Different phases of the Revolution affected the country at different times and in different areas. Some areas did not succumb to the rebellion, but by 1790 almost all areas had experienced some aspect of war. Arrows on the map signal the spread of the Great Fear in 1789 while other arrows also signal attacks by foreign powers that added additional stress to the French Revolution.
Ancien Regime
Estates-General
National Assembly
Bastille
Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
National Convention
The Reign of Terror
The Directory
Thermidorean Reaction
Code Napoleon
Assessment
Critical Figure Facebook
Napoleon Bonaparte